Postmortem citalopram concentrations: alone or along with other compounds

Citalopram, an antidepressant whose use has become more widespread in Spain in recent years participates directly and indirectly in the lethal mechanism in voluntary and involuntary poisonings. There were 30 cases of autopsies in the Madrid region where citalopram and other psychoactive substances (psychotropic drugs, alcohol, opiates) were detected in the corpses. The postmortem citalopram levels in relation to the manner and mechanism of death were evaluated, and a significant difference between the toxic and nontoxic cases (p < 0.01) was found. We studied the citalopram blood levels alone and along with other psychoactive products, and these cases were then further divided into those where the compounds were at deadly levels and those which were not. We found a range of citalopram levels between 0.37 and 0.83 microg/mL in which some cases were associated with citalopram toxicity and others were not. Citalopram blood levels of less than 0.35 microg/mL did not lead to fatal poisoning when it was the sole substance detected.     

Interpretation of postmortem change in cadavers in Spain

Estimating time since death is especially difficult in the examination of poorly preserved cadavers and depends on the experience of the examiner and comparison with previously documented cases showing similar characteristics. The present study reports on information obtained over the past ten years through the work of the Laboratorio de Antropología y Odontología Forense (LAF) of the Instituto Anatómico Forense de Madrid, Spain, in particular evaluating how the type of fracture influences postmortem change. From the original 225 forensic cases examined between 1992 and 2002 in the LAF, a sample of 29 cases were selected from various regions of the Spanish mainland. A data collection protocol was established to reflect factors which the existing specialized literature, documenting the relation existing in the sample analyzed between time since death and the extent of postmortem change, which in the environments examined are distributed into the following phases: Phase 1 (putrefaction): one week to one month on the surface and two months in water. Phase 2 (initial skeletonization): two months on the surface and five to six months in water. Phase 3 (advanced skeltonization): six months to 1.5 years on the surface and 2.5 years buried. Phase 4 (complete skeletonization): about one year on the surface and three years buried. This paper also provide useful information on the impact of carrion insect activity, location, climate, seasonality, and predator.     

Allele frequencies data and statistic parameters for 16 STR loci-D19S433, D2S1338, CSF1PO, D16S539, D7S820, D21S11, D18S51, D13S317, D5S818, FGA, Penta E, TH01, vWA, D8S1179, TPOX, D3S1358-in the Rio de Janeiro population, Brazil

Allele frequencies for 16 short tandem repeats (STR) loci were determined with a sample of 230-300 unrelated individuals from the population of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The loci are the most commonly used in forensic and paternity testing, being analysed by the Identifiler (Applied Biosystems) and PowerPlex 2.1 (Promega) commercial kits. It was proved that Penta E and D18S51 are the most polymorphic loci.     

Y-chromosome STR haplotypes in Córdoba (Argentina)

Eight Y-chromosome STRs were investigated in a male population sample from Córdoba region (Argentina). Complete Y-chromosomal STRs haplotypes were obtained in 100 individuals, among which 91 different haplotypes were observed. The most common haplotype was shared by 4% of the sample, while 86 haplotypes were unique. The gene diversity was 0.9875 and the discrimination capacity was 0.8600. The combined polymorphism provides a powerful discrimination tool for routine forensic applications.     

国际私法研究机构:国际私法成文化法典化的推动力——英国国际私法发展的实践启示

成文化法典化是当今国际社会国际私法发展的普遍趋势。素来坚持判例法传统的英国 ,在近 30年来 ,其国际私法成文法也正日益取代判例法的主要地位。英国国际私法的变化主要是各种国际私法研究机构推动的结果。英国的实践对我国国际私法立法发展有启示意义 :必须加强中国国际私法学会的工作 ,发挥其在国际私法改革中的骨干作用 ;积极参加统一国际私法的各种国际组织的立法活动及其制定的公约 ,采纳国际社会的普遍实践 ;以“普遍主义”作为我国国际私法法制建设的指导思想 ,加大国际私法改革中的对外开放度。     

邓小平理论的基本精神及其发展

解放思想,实事求是体现了邓小平理论的基本精神,是建设中国特色社会主义的指导思想。在新形势下,发展邓小平理论的基本精神必须做到与时俱进,全面贯彻"三个代表"重要思想。     

对犯罪"应受刑罚惩罚性"的理论再思考

"应受刑罚惩罚性"是学界普遍认可的犯罪的基本特征之一,但对该特征的理论精髓却缺乏深入的剖析和阐释.笔者从确认其刑法地位入手,分析了该特征的深刻意义,并进一步提出了认定是否应受刑罚惩罚的具体标准.     

山西农村产业结构调整的构思

山西农村农业结构的现状是农业低而不稳,基础十分薄弱;工业大而不强,粗放,低放,对环境破坏严重;第三产业快而不全,与生产社会化、专业化、现代化的要求相适应的社会化服务体系不健全、不配套.这种不合理的产业结构,是在计划经济体制下,执行全国经济一盘棋的结果,已完成其历史使命.在市场经济体制下,依托当地的资源优势,以可持续发展为指导,选择"草业、林果业--畜牧业--农副产品加工业"这样一个新的产业链,是山西农村调整和优化其产业结构的一条行之有效的道路.